A frustrating day on the water. 70's vintage DII, racing open class on an inland lake here in Michigan, novice racer. Boat in fair to good condition, older sails, standard controls, mid-boom sheeting, adjustable jib cars on coamings, whisker pole to wing out the jib. Local conditions on the lake are typically light to moderate winds affected by the lake topography. Typical course: upwind start, reach, run, repeat, upwind finish. Frustration comes from not really knowing how to make the boat go fast, especially in relation to sail trim.
Questions: JIB-how do I decide where to set the jib cars? should I install barber haulers (and where do I get info on the set up?)(if yes, how do I use them?)? once I have the jib cars set, what do I look for in trimming the jib? since I don't have tell-tails on the jib (yet!), where should I put them and how do I use them in setting trim (up and off the wind)? MAIN-what is the interplay between cunningham, vang and outhaul, and how/when do I set them, and in relation to what conditions? I have three tell-tails on the leach of the main-do I need more? Where? and how do I use them in trimming the main? PLUS-any others I don't know enough to ask.
All answers/advice greatly appreciated, JT